The 2017 School of Psychology Alumni Event

Earlier this month, students had an excellent opportunity to hear about life after university at the School of Psychology Alumni Event, hosted by Careers and Employability lead Rachel Bromnick. Lincoln graduates spoke to current psychology students about where their degrees have taken them, and what they’ve been up to since graduation. This was followed by an opportunity to speak informally with the alumni over refreshments.

Among the speakers was Liz Barkham, who graduated from the University in 2001. After graduation, she completed an MSc in Forensic Psychology and trained in prisons and secure units, working with offenders and individuals with learning disabilities. She is now a Chartered Forensic Psychologist. She advised students to be flexible in their approach to their chosen career path, and to develop useful, transferable skills that can be applied across different environments.

We also heard from Peter Goddard, who graduated in 2013 after returning to university as a mature student. He has since completed his teacher training and now teaches Psychology at Lincoln College, where he also acts as a Personal Tutor. In addition to teaching, he is also enrolled as a part-time student on the Masters of Psychological Research programme at the University of Lincoln.

Not all our alumni have pursued careers directly related to their degree. James Ferrier graduated in 2015, and is now working as an Implementation Manager for SIG plc, a FTSE 250 company. His job involves implementing IT solutions and people management. He advised current students to become engaged with their School and take opportunities to extend their skillsets.

Some graduates took a different path than they originally expected. Blythe Buttery, a 2014 graduate, initially resisted the idea of a career in clinical psychology; after finishing her degree, she completed research internships at Nottingham Trent University. However, she now works as an Assistant Psychologist for people with severe autism and learning disabilities. Her advice for current students was to persevere: “Don’t stop applying for things. There are so many of us and it is competitive but don’t stop or be disheartened.”

One of our most recent graduates, Kudzai Muzangaza, also dropped into the event. Now President of the Students’ Union, he is considering his options for postgraduate study. His advice to students? “Take opportunities as and when they come. You might have a set path about where you want to end up career-wise, but certain opportunities will crop up and it’s always good to keep an open mind.”